3D furniture rendering
– is it the end of photo sessions?

wizualizacja sofy w salonie stojącej pod oknem

Until recently, organizing a photo session was the only way to present furniture. To start selling the new collection, producers relied on photographers to preserve the appearance of the products. However, the situation changed a few years ago when IKEA announced that most of the best furniture photos in catalogs were created thanks to 3D visualizations. To completely deviate from traditional photography, the Swedish brand has even established its own team of 3D artists. Why large producers such as IKEA, Nobilia, Miele, and many others decide to use 3D furniture rendering and even create special groups for this purpose instead of using a traditional photoshoot?

To answer this question, let’s take a look at what both solutions have to offer and why furniture manufacturers are increasingly deciding to use the potential of 3D visualization.

1. Delivery time

Furniture manufacturers attach great importance to the time of implementation. The consequences of exceeding the deadlines are significant and noticeable: no photos = no catalog; no catalog = no orders from retailers, no presentation of new collections, or no interest of potential customers at the fair. When deciding to photograph furniture, companies have to go through a long process, from creating furniture prototypes, through numerous tours between the workshop and the photo studio, to the final post-production, thanks to which the photos are ready for printing.

Taking an average of 2 weeks to photograph 15 chairs.

3D visualizations are created in a completely different process. Furniture manufacturers are only involved in two of them: providing design details and approving finished graphics. The supplier is responsible for what happens in the meantime. Thanks to this, companies do not have to temporarily engage in complicated logistics or take part in time-consuming photo sessions.

A more efficient and faster design process is the first reason why manufacturers decide to use 3D visualization.

2. 3D furniture rendering is less to deal with

When introducing a new collection to the market, furniture manufacturers have many responsibilities on their minds. For example, when organizing a photo session, you should take care of such issues as:

  • Coordinating the transport of furniture and decor elements.
  • Adequate space for rent.
  • Finding a professional photographer who will also correctly prepare the photos for printing.

Of course, the manufacturer may delegate this task to an assistant. But ultimately, he will bear the organizational costs and the administrative costs should something go wrong.

3D visualization of furniture requires the manufacturer’s involvement in only two of the stages mentioned above of the project. Of course, the participation of the company’s representatives may be greater through ongoing consultation of the results of intermediate stages of visualization creation. Nevertheless, the producer can always hand over virtually all responsibilities to 3D artists and focus on the duties that require his personal commitment.

3. Implementation cost

Another essential factor to consider is cost-effectiveness. In both variants, expenses are inevitable, but the 3D visualization of the furniture makes it possible to avoid or minimize some costs. For example, when deciding on a photo session, producers must incur, among others, such expenses as:

  • Prototype production – the cost is high, and prototypes are usually eventually thrown away anyway
  • Transport – both of the product and the individual elements of the arrangement
  • Rental – it is necessary to rent a space for a photo session and an area to store prototypes before and after the photo session
Imagine the cost of producers who offer tens of thousands of pieces of furniture?
wizualizacja biurka gamingowego wraz z akcesoriami na białym tle
Product visualization without arrangement

wizualizacja biurka gamingowego w pomieszczeniu
Product visualization with arrangement

4. Making corrections

For professional photographers and 3D graphic designers, corrections are an inevitable element of the process of each order. However, a significant difference results from the practical aspect of making corrections.

In the case of furniture photo shoots, the correction process is quite limited. The photo is taken; it’s practically ready. Apart from a few tweaks or visual modifications, there’s not much you can do afterward. In particular, the color variant of the furniture or its arrangement cannot be changed. Should such changes be necessary, it is essential to organize a new photo session.

The 3D furniture rendering is free from such limitations. Modifications related to the environment (decorations) or the table itself (color, texture) are not a big problem. At the request of the manufacturer, changes may be made as many times as needed. LED lighting color change? Modification of the tint of the glass in the chest of drawers? We can do it for you.

5. Personalization

Every producer wants to present their products unusually, in various environments. In addition, it is essential to show that a given armchair is available in different colors, and the customer can choose which one will look best in his living room. For this reason, the process of implementing furniture visualization takes place in two stages.

  1. A 3D graphic artist creates a model that can be easily modified later. For example, it can change the material or color of the cabinet and add essential accessories if needed
  2. Then, the model is placed in all arrangements indicated by the client, which the 3D artist creates individually or uses scenes from the database to complete the order even more efficiently

More about promotional product visualizations.

wizualizacja 3D konsoli łazienkowej
Rendering of the washbasin in the golden version

wizualizacja 3D konsoli łazienkowej
Rendering of a washbasin in a gold and black version

New opportunities for furniture manufacturers

Now you know everything a furniture manufacturer needs to know to choose between a photoshoot or a furniture visualization. As you can see, the quality of photos and renderings is very similar – thanks to the endless possibilities of the rendering software. However, the cost and time of work vary considerably. Therefore, it is up to you which solution is right for you. If you decide on stunningly realistic 3D graphics – please contact us. We will make sure that your visualizations are made on time and reflect the full potential of your products.